An orphan kitten nestled up to a cat and wouldn’t go anywhere for days, making up for lost time.
Bowie the kitten and Dottie the catJins Bottle Babies
Shelbi Uyehara, founder of Jin’s Bottle Babies, was contacted about a cat mother and her five precious newborns. They needed a foster home, so Shelbi set up a comfortable nursery to welcome in the family of six.
The cat mother, Dottie, appeared to be feral and was very protective of her kittens. She was wary of people but glad to have a safe place to raise her litter and plenty of food to go around.
Around that time, Shelbi took in a tiny orphan kitten who desperately needed a mom.
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An orange kitten whose eyes were still closed, came into the rescue as a lonely singleton. He had been found by himself in the trash and rescued just in time.
The kitten named Bowie was immediately given round-the-clock care upon arrival.
Bowie came to the rescue as a lonesome kittenJins Bottle Babies
Shelbi initially planned to bottle-feed Bowie and introduce him to Dottie’s litter at a later time, but things quickly changed when she noticed just how much he wanted a mother.
“I just felt so bad for the lonesome fella trying to suckle milk out of blankets when he could have a family,” Shelbi shared with Love Meow.
Dottie took Bowie in right away and started caring for him as her ownJins Bottle Babies
She placed the kitten with Dottie and hoped that the cat mom would accept the new baby. “The mama certainly took to him right away. She treats him as if he was her sixth baby who just came a bit later.”
For the first few days, Bowie nestled up to Dottie and wouldn’t leave her side the whole time, while the other kittens exercised their independence.
While the other kittens napped in a pile, Bowie stayed by Dottie’s sideJins Bottle Babies
Bowie would wriggle his way to Dottie if she stepped aside to take a break, while the rest of the crew continued napping in the comfort of a cuddle-puddle.
“He was always glued to her side. He wanted a mommy.”
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With the presence of a mother cat, Bowie started to blossom. He was eating like a champ and hitting milestones alongside his new siblings.
He would vie for Mama’s affection and squeeze himself in her arms, in the crook of her neck or on her belly, trying to make the most of every second he was with her.
Bowie loves his mamaJins Bottle Babies
When the kittens’ eyes cracked open, they became more active and started to move around the nest more.
Bowie got to see the world with a cat mother and siblings surrounding him. He began to join the other kittens in their tiny excursions around the nest, while Mama Dottie kept a watchful eye on them.
Bowie opened his eyes to see for the first timeJins Bottle Babies
Dottie and her babies are thriving in foster care. She is very protective of her littles and prefers having food served in bed, so she doesn’t have to travel far.
She keeps all six of them well fed and immaculately clean.
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Bowie continues to be a mama’s boy, napping on her while his siblings are scattered all over the nest sleeping.
After a tough start to life, Bowie is making up for lost time with a cat family that adores him to pieces. They are starting to walk, and Bowie’s inquisitive personality is emerging.
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Share this story with your friends. More on Dottie and her kittens and Jin’s Bottle Babies on Instagram @jinsbottlebabies and Facebook.
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